man launched himself at Alexander, catching him hard across the left cheek with his fist. The blow knocked Alexander back a step or two but did not fell him. Alexander made no move to return the insult, but only fingered his face where the blow had fallen.
“Hello, John,” he greeted, grimacing from the pain. He had to give his cousin his due. For such a small man he had delivered a stinging blow. “I’ve been expecting something like that from you.”
“She’s in her room, crying,” John Baldwin informed him hotly, both fists clenched at his side. “It would have been kinder if you’d simply killed her.”
Alexander had no time for such foolishness. “I’m sorry, John,” he said curtly. “You know I’d never have hurt Barbara could I have avoided doing so. I care for her greatly.”
“You care for her!” John Baldwin was incredulous. “Bastard! You put her aside so that you can marry that whore from Wellewyn, yet still you say you care for her?”
He threw himself at Alexander again, but Alexander deftly caught his two clenched fists and held him back. Willem came from behind to pin John’s arms down. Thus contained, John was forced to give up the assault. He struggled only a moment longer, then wrenched his arms free and glared at Alexander.
“Go on!” Alexander muttered. “I’ll not speak with you when you’re so overset.”
“You don’t care anything about my sister,” John insisted. “She’s devoted most of her life to loving you, yet you destroy her for a piece of land. Well, you may have your land and Lillis of Wellewyn—and welcome to them. Only keep away from Barbara. I mean it.” He left as he had come, and slammed the door behind him just as loudly.
Willem turned wide eyes on his brother. “If you change your mind about my offer, Alex, I’ll be ready. Even to the last minute.”
Alexander shook his head. “I’ll not change my mind. Don’t waste your time waiting.”
Willem left and Alexander finished undressing. He wanted to sleep, to blank his mind from the thoughts that stirred inside him. Instead, he sat on the edge of his bed, naked, and stared at the adjoining door.
She was on the other side. She and her Edyth. He wondered if she was all right, if she was able to rest any more than he. There was a way for him to use that door that she didn’t know about; a pin he could push that would allow him to unlock both bolts from his side. His father had designed it that way so that his mother could never effectively lock herself away, so that he would always have a way to get into her room. Alexander himself would use it if the need ever arose, if Lillis of Wellewyn ever defied him entrance to her chamber once she had become his wife.
Alexander stared at the door a few moments longer, and then he put himself to bed. He was exhausted beyond belief, his thoughts already wandering into dreams the moment he lay down on the soft feather bed. He slept, restlessly, until a servant came to tell him that Father Bartholomew had arrived with the marriage contract.
* * *
Time didn’t have much substance for Lillis after her talk with Alexander of Gyer ended. She had done her best to change his mind, and in the end had been forced to accept the inevitable.
As soon as she accepted her fate she fell into a state of deep despair. She was aware that things were happening, that people were talking, that she herself was moving and living and breathing, but she had no real involvement in any of it.
He had led her into the great hall. Every eye in the room had been upon them. He had made the announcement and those present had reacted. There had been relief on the part of the village leaders, who had originally come to demand her head, Candis and Justin had cheered loudly, the twins had stared openmouthed, Willem had looked unspeakably shocked, Barbara had cried while a man whom Lillis assumed was her brother tried to calm her, and Aunt Leta had fainted dead away.
It was Willem who’d
“Hello, John,” he greeted, grimacing from the pain. He had to give his cousin his due. For such a small man he had delivered a stinging blow. “I’ve been expecting something like that from you.”
“She’s in her room, crying,” John Baldwin informed him hotly, both fists clenched at his side. “It would have been kinder if you’d simply killed her.”
Alexander had no time for such foolishness. “I’m sorry, John,” he said curtly. “You know I’d never have hurt Barbara could I have avoided doing so. I care for her greatly.”
“You care for her!” John Baldwin was incredulous. “Bastard! You put her aside so that you can marry that whore from Wellewyn, yet still you say you care for her?”
He threw himself at Alexander again, but Alexander deftly caught his two clenched fists and held him back. Willem came from behind to pin John’s arms down. Thus contained, John was forced to give up the assault. He struggled only a moment longer, then wrenched his arms free and glared at Alexander.
“Go on!” Alexander muttered. “I’ll not speak with you when you’re so overset.”
“You don’t care anything about my sister,” John insisted. “She’s devoted most of her life to loving you, yet you destroy her for a piece of land. Well, you may have your land and Lillis of Wellewyn—and welcome to them. Only keep away from Barbara. I mean it.” He left as he had come, and slammed the door behind him just as loudly.
Willem turned wide eyes on his brother. “If you change your mind about my offer, Alex, I’ll be ready. Even to the last minute.”
Alexander shook his head. “I’ll not change my mind. Don’t waste your time waiting.”
Willem left and Alexander finished undressing. He wanted to sleep, to blank his mind from the thoughts that stirred inside him. Instead, he sat on the edge of his bed, naked, and stared at the adjoining door.
She was on the other side. She and her Edyth. He wondered if she was all right, if she was able to rest any more than he. There was a way for him to use that door that she didn’t know about; a pin he could push that would allow him to unlock both bolts from his side. His father had designed it that way so that his mother could never effectively lock herself away, so that he would always have a way to get into her room. Alexander himself would use it if the need ever arose, if Lillis of Wellewyn ever defied him entrance to her chamber once she had become his wife.
Alexander stared at the door a few moments longer, and then he put himself to bed. He was exhausted beyond belief, his thoughts already wandering into dreams the moment he lay down on the soft feather bed. He slept, restlessly, until a servant came to tell him that Father Bartholomew had arrived with the marriage contract.
* * *
Time didn’t have much substance for Lillis after her talk with Alexander of Gyer ended. She had done her best to change his mind, and in the end had been forced to accept the inevitable.
As soon as she accepted her fate she fell into a state of deep despair. She was aware that things were happening, that people were talking, that she herself was moving and living and breathing, but she had no real involvement in any of it.
He had led her into the great hall. Every eye in the room had been upon them. He had made the announcement and those present had reacted. There had been relief on the part of the village leaders, who had originally come to demand her head, Candis and Justin had cheered loudly, the twins had stared openmouthed, Willem had looked unspeakably shocked, Barbara had cried while a man whom Lillis assumed was her brother tried to calm her, and Aunt Leta had fainted dead away.
It was Willem who’d
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